Former Manpower and Transmigration Ministry officials admitted stealing state money but considered their act acceptable, the Corruption Court heard Tuesday.
"I asked Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officials at the time, 'What are you arresting me for?' I only took Rp 3 million (US$327)," defendant Suseno Tjipto Mantoro, former head of the ministry's evaluation and report sub-division, told the panel of judges hearing a graft case involving Rp 6.199 billion in state funds allocated for an audit of the migrant workforce in Indonesia.
Suseno and Marudin Saur Marulitua Simanihuruk, former director general for education and inspection at the ministry, were investigating the whereabouts of compensation funds for migrant workers when they allegedly siphoned off Rp 3 million and Rp 1.46 billion respectively during their time as head officials of the audit project.
The defendants employed Johan Barus' public accountant office to audit 46 of the ministry's regional offices and a unit at the ministry's office.
Prosecutors said the defendants took Rp 7.817 billion from non-tax state income to pay for the audit project, but spent only Rp 1.617 billion.
According to prosecutors, the defendants and several witnesses in the case benefited from the remaining Rp 6.199 billion for personal gain.
Simanihuruk told the court he accepted Rp 75 million from the project.
"But I forgot who gave it to me," Simanihuruk told judges, adding that the money had been officially allocated to him personally as project manager.
Simanihuruk said he also received Rp 100 million, Rp 180 million and Rp 255 million separately as kickbacks for a trial project of the audit in Bekasi, West Java.
Simanihuruk had earlier questioned his trial, saying he had instead salvaged Rp 163 billion in state money.
Former manpower minister Fahmi Idris testified last week to the effect that he did not know about the stolen money or its distribution among state officials.
Fahmi, who is now the minister of industry, defended the decision to directly appoint Johan, saying there hadn't been enough time to conduct a tender for the audit project, as instructed by the President.
Fahmi said the project followed a letter from the Supreme Audit Agency, which gave the ministry 60 days to investigate alleged misappropriation of migrant workers' compensation funds.
Both Suseno and Marudin face 20 years imprisonment. (anw)
